


You were there by my side

by Servena



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Magic Revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-26
Updated: 2012-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 05:28:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7301320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Servena/pseuds/Servena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur knows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You were there by my side

When Merlin entered Arthur's room this morning, the prince was already dressed. “Oh, you're early today”, he said surprised.

Arthur said something that, with a lot of imagination, could be interpreted as “Yeah.” He looked tired and paler than usual. Briefly Merlin wondered if the prince was sick, but then shrugged it off. He was probably just not fully awake yet.

While Arthur put on his belt and coat, Merlin started to clean up the room. It looked like a complete mess, with clothes lying around and books scattered beside the bed on the floor. “What have you been _doing_ here?” Merlin muttered.

When he didn't get a reply, he looked up to catch Arthur staring at him, but he quickly turned his head away and seemed to be looking for something in his armoire. Merlin wrinkled his forehead. “Is everything okay? You seem a bit...silent.”

“I'm fine. Didn't sleep well.”

“Did Morgana infect you with her nightmares?” The smile on Merlin’s lips faltered when Arthur remained silent and didn't meet his gaze. “O- _kay_ ”, he mumbled and turned back to his work. He was used to Arthur not being a morning person, but usually that involved throwing things, not weird glances and silence.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was very _very_ wrong.

The next minutes were spent without words between them. “All right, I'm done here, taking care of your armour now”, Merlin said finally and turned to leave, not expecting an answer.

“Merlin, wait.” Arthur’s voice held him back. There was something about it, a sense of severity.

He stopped in the doorway, turning around with a questioning look on his face. The prince was sitting at his desk looking at him. “Yes?”

There was a long moment of silence between them. It was rather ridiculous how he stood waiting at the door, but the expression on Arthurs face made every word catch in his throat. He felt his chest tighten with a sudden irrational fear.

“I know.”

Merlin waited, but the prince didn't explain himself. One thought started boiling up in his mind, but he desperately suppressed it. This couldn't be. It couldn't. 

“What do you know?” he managed to get out. The serious look on Arthur's face made his heart beat faster and he felt that his hands had started sweating. It got even worse when he realized that Arthur was nervous – his fingers were tapping on the wood of the desk and there was just the slightest tremble in them. Yet he didn't stop looking at Merlin almost without blinking. 

Arthur cleared his throat. “I know about - when you saved my life. I know how you did it. This time, and before.”

Time seemed to stop. The whole world came to a halt at this revelation. For a moment, Merlin actually felt like fainting, but after a few seconds he was still standing there, one hand clutching the door frame. His first rational thought was 'Gaius is so going to kill me.' He couldn't say anything, even if he had known something to say. An excuse, an explanation, but there was nothing in his head but shock and what was starting to feel like panic.

Arthur looked uncomfortable at Merlin’s display of fear. “I won't tell my father. How could I possibly do that, after”, there was something like a sigh between the words, “everything you've done for me?”

All of Merlin’s thoughts were swirling around in his mind, but nothing made sense. He suddenly felt a big sense of gratitude wash over him. 'I'm not dead.' But even more important was the lack of disgust or hatred on Arthurs face. For how long had he feared that the man he called a friend would once be looking at him like that.

“Thank you, sire”, he managed to whisper. He bowed his head. 

“No, Merlin.” The prince's blue eyes seemed to pierce his own, but there was warmth in them, and trust. “I thank _you_.”


End file.
